The Government’s Policies are Leading to a Decline in Living Standards

I spoke in Parliament recently on the issue of living standards and I oppose the Government’s policy to cut child benefit and families tax credits.

The Government plans to change the rules surrounding working tax credits.  From April, couples with children earning less than £17,700 will need to increase the number of hours they work from a minimum of 16 to 24 hours per week or they will lose all their working tax credit of £3,870 per year.

This is alarming at a time when 1.35 million people are working in part-time jobs as they cannot find full-time work.

As a result of these changes a couple on minimum wage with children working 16 hours a week will be £728 per year better off out of work. This is unacceptable.

It is also unfair that a two-earner family each earning £42,000, a total of £84,000 would keep all their child benefit, yet a single earner family on £43,000 would lose all theirs.

I raised this issue in Parliament in reference to Liverpool:

“It is appalling that in Liverpool Riverside alone, more than 520 children from families who are working, but in low-paid jobs, will suffer as a direct result of that measure.”

The Government’s changes are unfair and will punish low and middle income families.

Social justice must be delivered.

Keep HMS Liverpool on the Mersey

HMS Liverpool, which has been retired after 30 years of service, made a visit to the city last week– though hopefully not for the last time.

I have started a campaign to keep the destroyer, which was built in Birkenhead, on the banks of the Mersey for people across the city to enjoy.

In a letter to the Defence Secretary Philip Hammond I urged him to preserve HMS Liverpool at a permanent mooring in the City of Liverpool.

The ship is a source of great pride for the people of Liverpool and it belongs in our great city. It would be a tremendous draw for tourists and visitors and would fit in magnificently with the regenerated waterfront.

Peter Luff, the Minister for Defence Equipment, responded to my letter saying that the ship would first be put up for a:

“Government-to-Government sale for further use as a warship by a foreign navy”.

He went on to say:

“If no interest is received from other Governments, the Disposal Services Authority will then examine other options, including bids from the commercial market”.

The ship has a long and honoured history, having served in the Iraq War, guarded the Falklands and enforced a no fly zone over Libya.

I will continue to fight for HMS Liverpool to return to her namesake city.

Questioning the PM on the North-South divide in infrastructure spending

In a Liaison Committee evidence session on Tuesday I grilled the Prime Minister on the North/South divide and private sector funding for transport infrastructure.

I pointed out the huge discrepancy in infrastructure spending between the North and the South East and challenged David Cameron to explain how he will address this imbalance.

I asked the PM:

“How will we be able to tell if private sector funding is going to increase the already major disparities between spending on, and investment in, transport between the north and London and the South-East”.

He agreed that there is an imbalance in the UK economy and that tackling it should be a priority. However, while he claimed that the Government is taking action it is clear that the South attracts far more investment, both public and private, than the North.

A December IPPR report showed that of the recent infrastructure projects announced, 341 times as much was spent per head in London as the North West. Private sector involvement also accentuates this imbalance, as private investment favours short term gains in areas of high population and high average wages – such as London – over long term gains in areas with lower levels of existing infrastructure, such as the North.

North-South divide in Transport spending

Yesterday (Tuesday) I spoke in Parliament in an Estimates Day Debate on the issue of Transport and the Economy.

I launched a debate on two reports from the Transport Committee on the issue of expenditure by the Department for Transport.

I highlighted the North-South divide which appears to be occurring in funding for transport spending.

A recent analysis by a leading think tank noted that the regional breakdown of new transport spending favoured the South. It found that 84% of planned new infrastructure spending would be in London and the South-East, compared with just 6% in Northern England. The average spend per head is £2,731 in London, compared with just £5 in the North.

This regional imbalance is a matter of serious concern. It is worrying that at a time when £15 billion will be invested in Crossrail and £5.5 billion in Thameslink, a reappraisal is taking place on whether half a billion pounds should be invested in the Northern Way which would improve rail services across the North.

This is concerning at a time when Merseyside already faces transport spending cuts of 20%.

You can access a copy of my speech following the link below:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201212/cmhansrd/cm120228/debtext/120228-0002.htm#12022857000001

Meeting with sub-postmasters wrongfully accused of fraud

Yesterday afternoon I met with a number of Post Office sub-postmasters who have been wrongfully blamed for problems with their software systems.

Sub-postmasters are the managers of sub-post offices, which make up the vast majority of the Post Office Network. They are required to use Horizon, an accounting system which all financial transactions must pass through.

In recent years over 100 offices have reported unexplained losses and postmasters are adamant that this is due to a fault with Horizon. However, the Post Office is insistent that there no problems with the system and have declined to conduct an investigation into either Horizon or why the losses have appeared.

Instead they have prosecuted dozens of postmasters, accusing them of false accounting and forcing them to pay for the shortfall. Postmasters have been left liable for costs as high as £300,000 and many have had to declare bankruptcy as a result. In the cases where the postmaster has been unable to pay up many of them have faced prison sentences.

It is unacceptable that sub-postmasters are being made to suffer for flaws with the system. Meeting with representatives in Parliament was very eye opening and I urge anyone in my constituency who has experienced any of these problems to get in contact with me.

Congratulations to Mersey Bowmen Tennis Club

I am delighted that Mersey Bowmen Tennis Club in Sefton Park has been successful in securing a Places People Play Olympic legacy award from Sport England that will see nearly £50,000 invested into resurfacing its courts.

I met with the club to present to them their cheque this afternoon.

This affirms the positive commitment from Sport England to nurture future talent at grassroots level and promote healthy lifestyles for all.

Science Lorry Lab rolls into Shorefields!

Today, I visited Lab in a Lorry at Shorefields Technology College in Dingle Vale.

The mobile physics lab for young people, run by the Institute of Physics (IOP), is designed to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers, offering 11-14 year olds the opportunity to explore science through specially created interactive experiments.

The lorry is embarking on a tour of the North West which aims to reach 6,000 students from across the region, all of whom will be introduced to key concepts in physics.

The experiments on board the lorry involve using the properties of light to diagnose sick patients, using sound waves to smash wine glasses, and scattering light to understand why the sky is blue and help identify the real colour of the Sun. The key concepts behind the experiments will be illustrated with examples from everyday life and cutting-edge research.

This is an innovative idea and one which I hope will inspire future scientists! More information can be found at www.labinalorry.org.uk